Category: Arizona

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Sabino Canyon – Tucson, AZ — First Week/Full Moon

Our hiking friends helped us snag a volunteer position with Coronado National Forest. We work three days a week in full uniform in exchange for this camp spot next to our friends.
Warning – you might get tired of the sunsets!!!
Or sunsets with moon rises…
The full moon over Blackett’s Ridge was beckoning us to come for a closer look.
So we headed out the next afternoon for our own sunset/moon rise hike up the ridge. J & J are staying in Catalina so they could partake in this adventure.
Enjoying the views of Tucson in the warm afternoon light. We really enjoyed all the city lights sparkling on our way down.
We made it to the top of the ridge in time to enjoy a bit of dinner with the view.
The most gorgeous sunset ever!!!!! It can’t even be captured in a panorama but we had a 360 view – wow! It was so worth it in spite of the challenge of hiking down in the moon shadows.
The next day we took off to hike Seven Falls while the water levels were lower for the seven creek crossing.
Sunrise as we reported for our second day of work – we need to be there at 7:00 AM so we bought an alarm clock! Are we still retired?
Rain brings its own beauty (picture taken from the Travato)– we got a reprieve from a day of work due to too much rain. Our duties are to keep the public areas tidy, clean, and safe to enhance the visitor experience.
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Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument 2017

We were on the road in the rain on New Year’s Day leaving Green Valley in the rear view mirror. Glad we had packed the van the day before! We arrived in Organ Pipe Cactus with some nice low clouds but the sun shining on us.
We picked a great site a bit further south than last year’s but an auspicious number….maybe?

 

Meeting up with our full time RV friends to start the New Year on the right foot! We toasted with champagne and had a mini-quiche happy hour after a pleasant stroll around the campground.
We had a gourmet meal of crab cakes from the professional chef – graduate of Cordon Blu Pasadena! Followed with a cheese platter and port. I am intimidated but the next day, we fixed our Spanish Bean Soup with fresh baked rolls in the convection oven which was well received by all. Whew!
A drive around Ajo Mountain and a hike to the arches. Who is blogging about who?
Looking good coming up the mountain trail.
The guys ready to tackle the arch.
It is necessary to walk back down on the other side to see this view of the arch.
It doesn’t seem this large – the distance is so deceiving.
Back in time for wine o’clock on the picnic table.
We all piled into Bill – a 4-wheel drive Ram pickup truck – to explore an area we had never been. On the Mexican border, the western side of the park.
The rare little pupfish were in this pond – quite a surprise that it was so large.
Wouldn’t you like to know Jose’s story of how he got from Brest, France to here and why?

 

 

Entertaining in the van – we fixed BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and were surprised with a pre birthday desert. Mmmmm raspberries and chocolate! Here is the link to Joan and Jim’s pictures http://thewesternwagon.blogspot.com/2017/01/organ-pipe-nmlukeville-az-1220-15-gps.html
Sunset from the van – who could ask for a better view! See our last years pictures of this fabulous National Monument http://tealsky.com/2016/01/07/organ-pipe-national-monument-2/
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Green Valley Arizona for December

We found this 2-bed/2-bath townhouse with a driveway 12″ longer than the van.
It has this great patio with mountain view for our enjoyment.
This roadrunner wants to be fed and he is persistent but we are more stubborn. We are however keeping the hummingbird feeder filled.
Beautiful sunrises with real brewed coffee! What a great way to start the day. Water aerobics at 9 if you want to venture to the pool.
Or go to watch the sunset over the Santa Rita’s.
We met up with our friends for a hike at Saguaro National Park West followed by a concert on the patio to watch the full moon rise.
Enjoying the sunset with our snacks before the concert.
It is so nice to be among the saguaros again – they are just too picturesque!
And the sunsets just so spectacular! The guitar music was also very good – wonderful evening tho the moon rose through clouds.
White Christmas with snow in the Santa Rita’s.
We enjoyed walking around the condo development on the way to an ice cream social with the neighbors we borrowed tools from.
The next day our friends came down for some fresh pulled pork BBQ sandwiches on the back patio – we had a group walk first in McGee Ranch area. See our get together from last year’s visit to Canoa Ranch http://tealsky.com/2015/12/14/green-valley-arizona/
A final sunset as we finish our month here – lots of good relaxing from our month out of the van!
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Southeast Arizona: Coronado National Forest

South Eastern Arizona in the San Simon Valley – we dispersed on BM land near the town of Safford. We did not get a storm but enjoyed the clouds playing with the sun.
Gila Box was a very beautiful area! We stayed at a BLM managed campground which was excellent.
View of the Gila river walking back to our camp site.
We found the skeleton of an old Model T buried in the pebbles – Don’t you wonder what was the story behind how it got here?
Sunset on another beautiful day.
Our Thanksgiving Feast at Stockton Pass, south of Safford in the Penaleno Mountains. Pass is named after Stockton Clanton, father of the brothers known in Tombstone.
It is roasted chicken but we have turkey gravy, fresh bread, and nice Colorado wine.
Cochise Stronghold – our favorite dispersed campsite in the Dragoon Mountains of Coronado National Forest.
Is Batman overlooking the grave of Cochise? That is one of the mysteries of this mountain range. Here is the link to photos from last year’s hike and camp http://tealsky.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1691&action=edit
We hiked again to the  Stronghold Divide – much better weather than last year!
Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area had a lot of cranes already here for the winter. This was amazing to see and hear so many of them.
The cranes fly in to spend the night after feeding in the fields all day. They leave pre-dawn so we did not see any the next morning – we were too lazy to get out in the cold before our coffee.
View of Mexico from Coronado National Monument – this was a challenging 3 mile drive to the top of the pass but great views. We spent a few nights near Sierra Vista in Miller Canyon and then Gardener Canyon.
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Taking It Easy

 

16-01-13 Standing on a Corner-Winslow AZ -001

16-01-13 Standing on a Corner-Winslow AZ -004 Pam
Sing It! We had dinner in both Flagstaff and Gallup on Rt 66

 

16-01-13 Standing on a Corner-Winslow AZ -003 Henry
Its a girl, my lord, in a flat bed Ford slowing down to take a look at me!
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Petrified Forest National Park in the late afternoon light.
16-01-14 Sunrise - The Drive Home
On the road again — heading home as the sun rises.

 

 

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Wupatki and Sunset Crater NM, near Flagstaff, AZ

16-01-13 Wupatki NM -009 Wupatki Pueblo
The Raven and Wupatki Pueblo
16-01-13 Wupatki NM -001 Box Canyon Pueblo
Box Canyon Pueblo in early morning light — Wupatki NM.
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Box Canyon Pueblo was fun to explore — amazing architecture!
16-01-13 Wupatki NM -005 Lamar Pueblo
Lamar Pueblo was just down the road in Wupatki NM
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Detail of Lamar Pueblo. Imagine living here!
16-01-13 Sunset Crater Volcano NM -001
Is that incredible!!! So much more picturesque with the snow on that black volcanic rock!
16-01-13 Sunset Crater Volcano NM -005 Pam
Standing in front of the lava field with a very interesting old tree.
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Beautiful.
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Around Sedona, AZ

 

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Montezuma Castle NM
16-01-12 Montezuma Castle NM -003 Pam Teddy
Hey – my man Teddy was hanging out at the Montezuma Castle visitor center. We had a chat…
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Tuzigoot NM
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Incredible panorama near Sedona with a dusting of snow to highlight the red rocks.

16-01-12 Sedona -003 Pam